Known issued with the 1976 Super Beetle

These old, air-cooled Volkswagens have a huge reputation for reliability and durability. And, back in the 1950s and '60s when they were most popular, they definitely were more reliable than a lot of their competition. However, these days, even a relatively late-model Beetle such as a 1976 could be an absolute minefield of problems, starting with rust and a driveline with worn out mechanical bits and pieces. You haven't said how many kilometres the car has covered, but I'm betting it's plenty and that really plays against something like this car. You could wind up having to rebuild a large percentage of the car just to get it roadworthy, at which point, you could have bought something newer, faster and more comfortable. In fact, that's another issue with old designs like the Beetle's; there's virtually no safety equipment beyond seat-belts. This is why cars like this have a place, but that place is as a weekend toy where you can relive your youth in small chunks on a Saturday morning before the shopping traffic has hit the road.

Stylish car for $15k?

With your budget you would be looking at a 2010/2011 VW Beetle, which had a regular automatic transmission and not the troublesome DSG that was fitted in later models. That’s a big tick for the Beetle. The Citroen C3 is a decent car, but an orphan in the sense that there weren’t many sold and you won’t find a dealer on every corner. As for the BMW, they’re too expensive to service and repair if you use a dealer, and they have too many niggling issues that spoil the great driving experience. The Subaru Impreza is well worth looking at, but my pick of that bunch would be the Volvo C30.

Travelling to Cape York

I loved the great work of Mike and Mal Leyland. You've spoilt some of the myth by revealing this secret.

Best car for P-plate driver?

The first of the born-again Beetles was severely compromised because the rounded body sat over the mechanical package of the boxy Golf. But the new car looks good, almost like a Porsche, drives well and is well equipped. I give it The Tick and will help you track down a good deal.

Both will give you good fuel savings in the sort of driving you're doing. The hybrid would likely be better in stop-start driving, the diesel better for open-road motoring. The diesel would be cheaper to buy and have a better resale value in the medium term. People are still sceptical about the life of the batteries in the hybrid -- though there is no evidence to suggest they are a problem -- but it has a negative effect on used values. You would also be tied to a Toyota dealer for servicing. The broader trade has yet to develop the expertise to look after the complex electrics of the hybrid.

Volkswagen Beetle 2008 Problems

No car is perfect, but we've gathered everything relating to the Volkswagen Beetle 2008 reliability here to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Used Volkswagen Beetle review: 2000-2013

3 Jul 2014 · by Ewan Kennedy

During the 1960s and into the '70s the original VW Beetle was a major player in the Australian market. It was built here for most of that time and was often in the top three in the sales race; beaten ...

VW recalls 2.6m cars, over 44,000 in Australia

15 Nov 2013 · by Staff Writers

Volkswagen is issuing recalls and advisories for about 2.6 million vehicles world-wide, including about 43,700 in Australia, for a range of three defects. The Australian vehicles include more than 16 ...

Used Volkswagen Beetle review: 2000-2010

26 Nov 2012 · by Graham Smith

The new Beetle might look like the original 'People's Car' but in reality there's very little about the new car that can be traced back to the old model.NEW The engine is in the front of the new car ...

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Volkswagen Beetle 2008 Problems

Used Volkswagen Beetle review: 2000-2013

VW recalls 2.6m cars, over 44,000 in Australia

Used Volkswagen Beetle review: 2000-2010

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